Swim goggles



Sept. 18, 1951 W. E. BROWN SWIM GOGGLES Filed May 5, 1948 IN V EN TOR.

Mai/7M i. EEOWN,

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14 7' TOF/VE K Patented Sept. 18, 1951 SWIM GOGGLES William EdwardBrown, Shelburn, Ind., assignor to Perfection Packaging, Shelburn, Ind.,a copartnership composed of William E. Brown and Cyril H. BrownApplication May 5, 1948, Serial No. 25,189

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to a swimming goggle, and is primarilyconcerned with the production of an improved device for shielding thewearers eyes against contact with the water, while the wearer isswimming beneath the surface.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a goggle so constructedas to distribute the pressure of water against the same overa'substantial area of the Wearers face, whereby discomfort is reduced toa minimum and leakage of water toward the wearer's eyes is completelyprevented. A further object of the invention is to provide a mask,comprising a sheet of highly flexible, somewhat elastic, waterproofmaterial, provided with transparent sections registering with thewearer's eyes, the mask being of such character that it will mold itselfto the users face and head contours and. as the pressure of water uponthe mask increases, will adhere more and more intimately to suchcontours to prevent leakage.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improvedassociation'between such a mask and the transparent elements adapted toregister with the users eyes. A further object of the invention is toprovide such a mask with an improved opening through which the' wearersnose tip protrudes, whereby the wearer's exhalations are excluded fromthe interior of the mask, but whereby a completely leak-proofassociation between the mask and the wearers nose is provided.

A still further object of the invention is to provide improvedcushioning means for sealing the interior surfaces of the transparentelements against fluid flow, while maintaining a high degree of comfortfor the wearer. A still further object of the invention is to provideimproved sealing means between the mask and the'transparent elements. Astill further object of the invention is to provide auxiliary means formain taining an improved leak-proof relation between the mask and thatportion of the wearers face below the nose.

Still further objects of the invention will appear as the descriptionproceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, my invention maybe embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings,attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings areillustrative only, and that change may be made in the specificconstruction illustrated and described so long as the scope of theappended claims is not violated.

Fig. 1 is a view showing my improved swimming goggle in use;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the goggle; an

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig.2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, it will be seen that themask, indicated generally by the reference numeral I0, comprises a sheetI l ofwaterproof, flexible, somewhat elastic material such as a thinrubber or synthetic rubber composition. I presently believe that thebest material to use is a synthetic latex neoprene. The mask isvertically widened at its central portion to provide a portion l2 whichextends well up onto the brow of a wearer, and a portion l3 whichoverlies the upper lip of the wearer. At its opposite ends, the sheet IIis narrowed to provide straps l4 and I5 adapted to meet and over lap atthe back of the users head. A fastening element which, in theillustrated embodiment of the invention comprises the male unit I6 of asnap fastener, is mounted upon the strap portion l5 near one endthereof, and a fastening element ll, which, in the illustratedembodiment of the invention, embodies the female unit of a snap fastener(not shown) is longitudinally adjustablyv mounted upon the strap portionI4. It will be obvious that the element I! may be adjusted along thelength of the strap portion H to produce a proper degree of tightnessvupon almost any head when the elements 16 and I! are associated.

The sheet H is formed, at suitable locations, with two openings l8therethrough adapted,

when the goggle is in place on a users head, to

register with the users eyes. Two boxed eye pieces orlenses, indicatedgenerally by the reference numeral l9, are provided for respectivereception in the openings l8. Each such eye piece comprises, in theillustrated embodiment of the invention, a front panel 20 having a perimetral wall 2| located in substantial perpendicularity to the generalplane of the panel 20, and terminating in a perimetrally extendingflange 22 located in a plane substantially parallel to the general planeof the panel 20. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the eyepieces are formed of cellulose acetate, molded to shape; but it will beapparent that other materials, capable of being properly shaped, and ofsuitable pressure-resistant and shatterproof characteristics, may beused. In fact, it is not essential that the various parts of the eyepieces shalLbe integral, though advantages resultant from theillustrated embodiment of the eye pieces render that specific structurepreferable to all y others, in my present opinion.

The perimetral extent of the wall 2| is somewhat greater than theundistorted perimetral dimension of the opening l8 with which it is tobe associated; and, as a consequence, when the eye piece I9 is forcedthrough an opening IS with which it is to be associated, from the innersurface of the sheet ll toward and beyond the outer surface thereof, aperimetral flap 23 of sheet material is forced to move from the positionillustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 3 to the position illustrated insolid lines therein. In this position, the flap 23 intimately hugs theouter surface of a substantial area of the wall 2| of the eye piece I 9,thereby providing an effectively waterproof joint between the eye pieceand the sheet ll.

At a suitable point, for registration with the nose tip of a user, thesheet His formed with a further opening indicated generally by thereference numeral 26. The particular shape of the opening 26 is quiteimportant, as will appear fromthe following description.

The opening 26 is substantially in the shape of an inverted T,comprising a vertical slot 21 forming the stem of the T and transversebranches 28 and 29 at the lower end of the stem. The slot and branchesthus define substantially triangular or L-shaped flaps 30 and 3| whichare free at their lower interior corners. When the sheet H is applied toa users face, the tip of the users nose Will turn the flaps 30 and 3|outwardly, as the nose tip protrudes through the opening 26; and theflexible flaps 30 and 3| will intimately seat themselves upon the sidesof the wearers nose, molding themselves to the particular shape of thenose of the wearer, the vertlcal edges of said flaps straddling thebridge of the nose, and the lower horizontal edges of said flaps lyingintimately in contact with the weare'rs nose immediately above the outeredges of the nostrils, all as illustrated in Fig. 1. This constructionpermits the nostrils to be located entirely outside the sheet H, so thatthe wearer may breathe freely Without exhaling at all into the interiorof the goggle.

I have found that a mask or goggle constructed in accordance with theabove description is reasonably effective and satisfactory in use; butcertain refinements will improve the effectiveness of the goggle if costis not important and the goggle is to be used in substantial waterdepths or for long periods of exacting work.

A slip ring 24 may be sleeved over the perimetral wall 2! of each eyepiece 19 to embrace, and secure in intimate contact with said wall, theflap 23. The ring 24 may be made of any suitable material; but I preferto make it of a rubber or synthetic rubber composition, sothat it mayhave substantial elastic characteristics to exert a positive inwardpressure against the flap 23. When the ring 24 is made of elasticmaterial, its. undistorted inner perimetral di-' mention will besubstantially less than the exterior perimetral dimension of the wall2|. Of course, if the ring 24 is made of non-elastic material, then itsinner perimetral dimension will conform closely to the exteriorperimetral dimension of the eye piece IS with which it is to beassociated, and it may be formed with a socket 24 for the accommodationof the flap 23.

Additionally, I may provide a softly distortable cushioning ring 25 forthe interior of the mask in association with each eye piece I9. I preferto form such a ring 25 from sponge rubber, or foamed latex, or similarmaterial, to provide a maximum of comfort for the wearer. Obviously,

such a ring 25 will overlie the flange 22, will be suitably secured tosaid flange and to the sheet II by any suitable adhesive, and willimprove the seal between the wall and the adjacent surface of thewearers face.

In some instances, it may be desirable to provide auxiliary means forpressing the lower edge of the sheet ll against the wearer's face. Forthat purpose, I may install upon the sheet H, at points oppositelyspaced beyond the openings l8,

suitable fastening devices for attaching a tensioning strap to thesheet. Thus, I have shown the male element 32 of a snap fastener soassociated with the sheet II; and mating fastening devices 33 and 34 maybe provided for association with the devices 32. Preferably, each ofsaid devices 33 and 34 will be longitudinally adjustably mounted upon astrap 35 of any suitable material which may or may not be elastic. Whendesired, the elements 33 and 34, having been previously adjusted toproper positions on the strap 35, will be connected to the elements 32,and the strap 35 will then be positioned, as illustrated in Fig. l, toextend beneath the users nose to pull the sheet II tightly against theusers face in the manner illustrated. If it is found to be desirable ornecessary, the strap 35 may alternatively be stretched across theportion I 2 of the sheet i i or, as a further alternative, the elements33 and 34 may be mounted upon a two-strap unit, providing one element tobe positioned in the manner illustrated in Fig. 1 and another to extendacross the portion I2 of the sheet.

While, as has been indicated, the goggle of the present invention isprimarily intended for use by swimmers, it will be readily apparent thatit may also be used for protecting the eyes of the wearer against dust,smoke, gas, or any other medium which might be irritating to the eyes.

I claim as my invention:

1. A swimming goggle comprising a sheet of waterproof, flexible materialof substantial elasticity contoured to cover the face of a user from alevel above the eyes to a level below the nose, said sheet beingprovided with openings adapted to register with the users eyes, aclosure element for each of said openings, each such element comprisinga transparent panel having a perimetral dimension substantially greaterthan the undistorted perimetral dimension of its associated opening, aperimetral wall substantially perpendicular to said panel projectiblethrough such opening, and a perimetrally-extending flange substantiallyparallel with said panel, each such element being received in itsassociated opening with its flange in intimate contact with one surfaceof said sheet and its panel projected beyond the opposite surface ofsaid sheet, and said sheet further being provided with an openingpermitting the projection therethrough of a substantial portion of theusers nose, said lastnamed opening being laterally defined byallochirally related, flexible flaps, which, when the goggle is donnedby a user, will be turned out of the general plane of the sheet to liein intimate contact with the sides of the users nose.

2. A swimming goggle comprising a sheet of waterproof, flexible materialof substantial elasticity contoured to cover the face of a user from alevel above the eyes to a level below the nose, and transparent meanscarried by said sheet for registry with the eyes of a user, said sheetbeing provided with an opening therein substantially in the form of aninverted T for the projection therethrough of a substantial portion ofthe tip of the users nose, said opening defining two oppositelyarranged, substantially L shaped flaps which, when the goggle is donnedby a user, will be turned out of the general plane of the sheet to liein intimate contact with the sides of the users nose closely above thelateral edges of the nostrils thereof.

3. The goggle of claim 2 including a strap secured at its opposite endsto said sheet at points laterally beyond said respective transparentmeans and tightly engaging said sheet immediately below the users nose.

4. The goggle of claim 2 including a fastening device secured to saidsheet at each of two points oppositely laterally beyond said transparentmeans, two fastening devices engageable, at times, with said first-namedfastening devices, and strap means adjustably associated with said twolast-named fastening devices and extending across said sheet betweensaid two points.

5. The goggle of claim 1 in which the portion of said sheet defining themargin of each opening is flexed outwardly out of the general plane ofsaid sheet to lie in intimate contact with the perimetral wall of theassociated closure element, and a ring-like element sleeved upon theREFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,272,939 Gammon July 16, 19181,309,783 Slawin July 15, 1919 1,720,814 Baker July 16, 1929 2,002,449Dohm May 21, 1935 2,084,897 Dym June 22, 1937 2,097,850 Wallace Nov. 2,1937 2,394,894 Burgert et a1. Feb. 12, 1946

